Gay couples to be given right to adopt

30 September 2004, MADRID - Gay couples will be given the right to adopt children in a new draft bill to be presented Friday by Spain's Socialist government, it was reported.

30 September 2004

MADRID - Gay couples will be given the right to adopt children in a new draft bill to be presented Friday by Spain's Socialist government, it was reported.

The Spanish daily El Pais reported Thursday the new law would guarantee married gay couples the same rights as heterosexual couples as far as divorce, alimony or child support payments, inheritance, citizenship and adoption.

The left-leaning daily, which said it had obtained a copy of the draft law, added same-sex couples would only be allowed to adopt Spanish children to avoid any legal wrangles with other countries.

The new law is to go into effect next year and will make Spain the third country in Europe to authorize gay marriages after The Netherlands and Belgium.

The country's main opposition Popular Party said Wednesday that it planned to propose an alternative law allowing gay couples to form a "civil union" that would give them the same rights as unmarried heterosexual couples, except the right to adopt.

The Popular Party, which was the ruling party for eight years but was ousted from power last March following the Madrid train bombing that killed 191 people, had blocked several attempts in the past to legalize same-sex marriages.

Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero has made legalising same-sex unions a key element of social policy since coming to power in April.

According to a poll released this summer, 66 percent of Spaniards are in favour of legalizing marriage between same-sex couples.